Lawn
&
Garden
April 2016
A special supplement to:
THE PILOT NEWS GROUP
Pilot News
2016 Lawn & Garden • Page 2
Landscaping on a Budget
By Craig W. Armstrong
ouldn’t it be great to have
a beautifully landscaped
yard without breaking the bank?
It’s possible by doing the work
yourself, doing your homework,
and planning ahead.
Like any successful project, making a plan is where to start. Your
plan should start with your design.
What is your goal? Do you want
beauty, functionality or both? Start
by letting your imagination run
wild, then start eliminating things
that may not be cost effective or
give you the result that you seek.
During the planning stage, you
can consider consulting a landscape professional. This is going to
cost and dig into your budget but
it may be worth it. If the consultant
can bill you based on an hourly
rate, a couple hours of their time
might be worth it. If you do con-
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sult a professional, make sure you
are prepared. This means having
a plan of what you want, a list of
questions and get their estimate on
cost.
Consulting doesn’t have to be formal. Consider talking to someone
at your local green house, nursery
or big box lawn and garden department. Just make sure their advice
is free and don’t get pressured into
buying from them.
When figuring your costs, remember that you get what your pay for.
This means if you find material,
plants, flowers, etc. that are unusually cheap, there is probably a reason. Some things can be skimped
on to make ends meet, but the really important elements should be
quality. What is an important element? That’s up to you.
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you need to be patient and focus
on quality, not completion. Complete sections of your yard and that
will allow you to buy material in
phases. By focusing on a section at
a time, you will have time to pay
things off and thus not over extend
yourself financially.
Being patient can pay off. Consider making purchases in the off
season. Annuals, perennials, mulch
and even lumber can be cheaper
in the winter months. It’s all about
supply and demand. No one needs
a bathing suit in the winter, that’s
why if you can find one, it’s pretty cheap. Just make sure anything
you buy long before you plant it
can remain viable.
Online shopping isn’t just for
clothing. You can find some great
bargains on what you might need
for landscaping. Surf the net and
uncover some deals.
Think outside the box. If you look
around and make some contacts
you might be able to find material
that’s free. Free compost and leftovers from construction sites are
real options. Also consider junk
yards. They can be great places for
material to build a cool sculpture
or statement piece.
Finally, networking can be great
for lots of reasons. It’s a great way
to learn, share ideas and maybe
even save some money. Buying
in bulk and splitting the material
might save you a few bucks and
having that friend help with the
labor would be pretty nice too.
However, you need to return the
favor and help them as well. You
will also build relationships with
people who have common goals
and interests.
DIY landscaping doesn’t have
to be overwhelming or put you
in debt. Do your homework, take
your time, get some help and most
of all, enjoy yourself.
2016 Lawn & Garden • Page 3
A Batty Idea
By Craig W. Armstrong
ardens are made up of many things. They
can be filled with fruits, vegetables, flowers and sometimes ceramic gnomes. Gardens
can be also be used to attract birds and butterflies, but how about attracting something
a little different? How about attracting bats to
your garden? These little guys get a bad rap and
are experts at insect control. Read on, you may
want bats to become a part of your landscape.
First, bats are wild animals and should not be
caught or handled. The risk of getting rabies
from a bat bite is minimal, but it does exist. Bats
are not naturally aggressive, but like any wild
animal, they will bite if they feel threatened.
With that said, bats can be fascinating creatures
to observe and as mentioned above, they are
a natural insect disposal system. That is to say
that they eat insects…a lot of insects. A small
brown bat can eat more than 1,000 insect an
hour. Now imagine what a colony of bats can
do. You would never have to buy insect repellent again.
G
Attracting bats requires a bat house. You can a
buy a bat house or build your own. Many plans
exist on the Internet for building your own bat
house. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, do some
homework and decide which layout is best for
you.
If you are building your own bat house, there
a few things to keep in mind. Bats need warmth.
They are like temperatures between 85 and 100
F. This means your bat house needs to be painted with dark colors, preferably black or dark
gray. The color will absorb the sun make the
house warmer. The house should have a chamber at least 14 inches wide and a couple of feet
tall. The landing area, or entrance, should be
rough to aid in traction for the little bug-eaters.
The house should also be water-proof.
Placement of your bat house is crucial. Because
heat is so important to bats, the house should
be placed somewhere that gets a lot of sunlight,
all day long if possible. It should be off the
ground at least 12 feet. This will put it at a good
landing height and also keep ground predators away. Mounting the house on a pole is a
great idea. They
can be mounted
to your house,
but consider the
bat droppings.
If you do want
to mount it to a
structure, see if
you can find a
barn or another
out of the way
building. Trees
seem like a good idea, but they are not.
When placing your bat house, it should be
close to a water source like a ponds, creek or
garden pond. Try to get the structure within ?
mile of water.
Again, remember that these are wild animals
and should be observed and not caught, played
with or touched. So, is being a landlord to bats
for you? It may not be for everyone, but for insect control and just plain coolness, bats can’t
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2016 Lawn & Garden • Page 4
Attracting Nature’s Speedsters
By Craig W. Armstrong
heir speed nearly defies the
laws of physics, they travel a
great distance to amaze you and
they are one of nature’s most interesting creatures, they are hummingbirds. These birds that appear
as blurs are joy to watch and you
can attract them with certain flowers. So, if you like to grow flowers
and want to witness nature’s flying
speedsters, here’s how.
First, who are these blurry winged
wonders? There are more than 300
species of hummingbirds and they
are only found in the southeastern
Alaska to southern Chile. Though
they are not indigenous to North
America, but they do visit every
year, and that’s when you can attract them. However, before we get
to that, a few more fascinating facts
about hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds flap their wings
90 times per second. Their name
comes from the sound made by
their wings, moving at that speed.
Due to the speed of their wings,
their heartbeat is estimated at more
than 1,200 beats per minute. Their
maneuverability is amazing. They
can fly forward, backward, up,
down and even upside down. They
can hover, which is when they are
mainly seen, by flapping in a figure
eight pattern. Their diet consists of
nectar, tree sap, insects and pollen.
High-performance athletes re-
T
quire large amounts of nutrition to
fuel their bodies. The same is true
of the hummingbird. Because they
expend so much energy with these
feats of speed and aerial acrobatics,
they require a lot of food. This is
where you can entice them.
Plant your blooms in a sunny
area and make sure they flower
from spring to fall. This will keep
them coming back as long as possible. Hummingbirds are attracted
to color, not scent. The flowers you
plant should be bright, colorful and
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have tubular flowers. Some of the
best flowers to attract these winged
wonders are; coral bills, nasturtium, foxglove, bleeding heart,
bee balm, hollyhock and trumpet
creeper, just to name a few.
When planting your flowers make
sure they are easily accessible. The
best way to do this is to layer them
either shortest to tallest, front to
back or shortest on the outside to
highest in the middle of the bunch.
If you don’t have a green thumb
you can purchase a hummingbird
feeder. If you choose this option
you will need to make your own
nectar. It’s easy, just boil water and
stir in sugar. The ratio should be 1
part granulated sugar to 4 parts of
water. This sweet concoction can
be stored in your refrigeration for
2 weeks.
Because hummingbirds are attracted to color, some people will
say to add food coloring to your
nectar. This can actually harm the
birds, so don’t do it. Your feeder
itself will be brightly colored and
will serve as the attraction.
However, hummingbirds are
not the only ones who will enjoy
the nectar you created. Both bees
and ants will try their best to steal
the sweets. Ants will have a clear
path if you hang your feeder from
a tree. If you can hang it from your
house or other structure, it might
help keep the ants away.
As for bees, keep the outsider
of your feeder clean. As the birds
suck out the substance, they will
spill on the feeder. Keep this area
wiped down, thus keeping the
bees away. You can also put out
a saucer of nectar away from the
feeder. This should serve as a distraction to the bees and keep them
away from the hummingbirds
feast.
Hummingbirds are tiny wonders that are always fascinating to
watch. Consider attracting them
to your yard, you won’t be disappointed.
2016 Lawn & Garden • Page 5
By Craig W. Armstrong
arents are always looking for
ways to engage their children.
They want activities that they can
share, time to teach them something and also listen to what they
have to say. One way to achieve
P
Lil Gardeners
these things and enjoy the great
outdoors at the same time is to introduce your kids to gardening. The
younger you start them the better,
because as we all know, teenagers
think everything is stupid.
Some kids will jump right in while
others might need to be convinced.
If that is the case, lots of children’s
books and TV shows involved anthropomorphic fruits and veggies.
You can use these mediums to
warm them up to the idea.
The key to successfully gaining
their interest is to include them
in the whole process. That means
including them in the planning
process and getting their input on
what to plant and where. Even if
you don’t go with their ideas, including them is important.
Even if you don’t use their landscape blueprint, they should still
have their own piece of land. If
multiple children are gardening,
they should each have their own
area. Giving them their own area
also solves the problem of what
they want to plant. If it’s all carrots,
then that’s what they get. It’s their
plot of land. When decided where
they will plant, make sure it is easily accessible for them to water,
weed, tend and ultimately harvest.
Also make sure it is far enough
away from brother or sisters garden. Nothing will start a fight faster
than trampling each other’s plants.
Make sure everyone has their
own tools. Kid-sized gardening
tools are available. Again, if multiple kids are involved, make sure
everyone has their own tools. It
will help give them a sense of ownership over their garden.
Growing things takes time, so
consider recording the process to
keep the kids engaged. With the
popularity of smart phones, everyone has a video camera. Create
videos of the kids working in the
garden and progress as the plants
grow. When they get bored, show
them how far they have come by
viewing the first videos.
When harvest time comes, make
it an event. This is the culmination
of their hard work, so make it a big
deal. Let them help prepare the
food they have grown and allow
them to share their harvest with
grandma and grandpa, friends and
neighbors.
Speaking of friends and neighbors, getting kids involved in gardening isn’t just for mom and dad.
It’s great for grandparents, aunts,
uncles, and teachers too.
Involving children in gardening
can teach them many things. It will
show them the fruits of their labors
(pun intended), give them a sense
of pride and accomplishment and
make them feel like a big kid.
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2016 Lawn & Garden • Page 6
By Craig W. Armstrong
ou don’t have to live on
a farm or even have a
yard to grow your own food.
All you need are some pots or
other planting containers and
some potting soil. Granted
your harvest is not going to
feed the masses but you can
grow enough for yourself and
probably a friend.
First, if you live in an apartment or other rented space,
make sure that your landlord
will be OK with it. Next, make
sure you can provide your
plants the sunlight they will
require on a daily basis. Most
vegetables need about 6 hours
of sun per day, most herbs require less. Let’s talk about
herbs for a minute. If your
green thumb is just ripening,
herbs may be the way to go.
You get the pleasure of eating what you grow and they
require less skill to grow than
vegetables.
Basil is a good herb to grow.
This herb is easy to grow,
plus it tastes and smells great.
Growing basil is a good way
to test your watering skills.
It’s relatively hardy and will
bounce back if you don’t
water it enough. Other tasty
herbs to grow include chives,
cilantro, dill, mint and thyme.
You can also give fluffy a treat
by growing catnip.
Do you want to go beyond
herb? You may want to start
with leafy greens. These include lettuce, spinach, and the
growing in popularity, kale. If
you are feeling really brave
you can plant small tomatoes,
pepper or even green beans.
No matter what you choose
to plant, if you are just starting out, plant seedlings. Let
the pros get you started and
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buy what are called “toddler”
herbs and vegetables. Find
them at your local farmer’s
market or nursery. They will
grow faster than seeds and
have a lower degree of difficulty. Once you earn your
wings or greens as it may be,
you can plant from seed, but
start slow and give yourself a
chance to succeed.
Once you’ve decided what
to grow and where to grow
it, you’ll need pots and potting soil. Pots are not the only
container used for planting,
the key is to make sure you
enough depth and room for
your plants to grow. Don’t
plant a bunch of seedlings in
one pot or container. If you
do put a couple of plants together, make sure they are
separated by several inches.
Also, when planting things
together, make sure they have
similar sun and water requirements. As for the potting soil,
make sure it is formulated
for containers…not gardens.
If you have questions, ask
someone at the greenhouse or
hardware store.
Two rules about watering.
Don’t over water and make
sure you have enough drainage. A good rule of thumb, or
finger in this case, is to stick
your finger in the pot and if
the soil is dry an inch down…
it’s time to water. You want to
water your herbs and vegetables, not soak them.
Much of your experience
will be trial and error. But like
most things in life, you learn
from your mistakes. Once you
are successful and you begin
to eat what you have grown,
you’ll be hooked. Have fun
and enjoy the fruits, or vegetables of your labor.
2016 Lawn & Garden • Page 7
Anyone Can Landscape
By Craig W. Armstrong
t seems like a big job, and it can be, but landscaping is something anyone can do. Here
are a few tips for the beginning landscaper.
All successful projects start with a plan. The
first thing to ask yourself is what you want out
of a landscape. Is it about beauty, functionality,
room for the kids or all of the above? It’s ok to
dream big, but if you list all of your wants and
needs and then decide what is really important,
you have a better chance of being happy with
your new landscape. The best way to plan is to
visualize. That means getting out the paper and
pencil. Sketch out your plan, do more than one
sketch. Don’t worry about your artistic ability;
it’s about fleshing out your ideas.
An important part of the planning process is
to consider sun, wind and water patterns. Some
fruits, vegetables or flowers need more sun than
others. For any plant to grow water and water
drainage is important. You don’t have to be a
meteorologist, just use common sense.
Once you have a plan, relax and enjoy. If you
are a fan of home makeover shows and a home
I
or yard is transformed in a half hour, keep in
mind…it is a TV show. The point of this project
is to enjoy yourself and create something that
makes you proud. Your
new
landscape is not going
to appear overnight and
what fun would it be it if
did?
Making
your
landscape cohesive is important. It
should look like it goes
together. This means it
should have flow. One
way to start is with a focal point. This can be a tree, structure or a group of lawn gnomes. Try
to build around something. Repeating
patterns and colors can also help. Look at
it this way. You have all these puzzle pieces
to work with, trees, flowers, shrubs, gardens,
lawn décor, the way you arrange thing is up
to you.
Most people find symmetry pleasing to the
eye, but it can also be a double-edge sword.
Let’s say
you are going to put trees in a
symmetrical pattern. What if one
o f
those trees dies? Either
you live a now asymmetrical design or
you replace the tree,
which can be expensive. Don’t let this discourage you from using
symmetry, just keep it in
mind.
Don’t landscape yourself
into a corner. Make sure that
in the planning stages you leave
room for mowing, trimming and
maintenance access.
Do-it-yourself landscaping can
be fun, rewarding and doesn’t
have to be expensive. The key is
to take your time, build in stages
and learn from your mistakes.
It’s about growing, in more ways
than one.
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2016 Lawn & Garden • Page 8
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